There’s nothing that warms your home and your heart quite like the aroma from this classic American dish – a savory pot roast simmered until it’s fall-apart tender and delicious.

I’ve of course messed with the tradition a little in this easy paleo recipe by spicing my beef with a mix of Italian seasonings along with some herbs and garlic to give it a little international flair.

I think you’ll love this recipe. Spiced just right, succulent and hearty, it’s a winner. Plus it’s just so, so simple to make. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it paleo slow-cooker meal after all, so you’d have to try really hard to screw this one up.

Pot roast isn’t a cut of beef, it’s more of a cooking method. You actually want a tougher cut of meat for the best flavor. The higher collagen content breaks down into gelatin which helps tenderize the meat as it cooks.

So when you’re at your butcher’s case, you’re looking for any of these three different lean cuts: Chuck, Brisket or Round. The good news is these tougher cuts usually cost less than the more premium cuts of meat. I chose a 2.5 pound boneless chuck roast for this recipe because it was a good shape for my slow cooker and, woohoo, it was on sale too!

I whipped up a batch of easy white-fleshed mashed sweet potatoes as a side for this one, but you could just as easily do cauliflower rice.

If you’re looking for a little more substantial side dish, toss in a few chopped raw carrots, sliced potatoes, or really any root veggies to cook alongside the beef before you fire up your slow cooker.

Unless you have a large family or they haven’t eaten in a week, you’ll hopefully have extra pot roast. Just refrigerate for a few days for an easy reheat and eat dinner another night during the week, or freeze in a Ziplock freezer bag for a few months.

Hope you enjoy this one. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

Paleo Slow-Cooked Italian Pot Roast Recipe

November 20, 2016

Ingredients

1 (8 oz) package sliced mushrooms

1 large onion, diced

2 - 2 1/2 lbs. boneless chuck roast, trimmed

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. olive oil

3 cloves garlic

2/3 cup beef broth

3 Tbsp. tomato paste

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (you'll use half for cooking, and the other half as a garnish)

1 tsp. dried rosemary

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. granulated onion

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Directions

1Sprinkle trimmed roast with the pepper and salt

2In a large skillet on the stovetop, add olive oil and heat to medium-high. Place seasoned roast in the skillet and sear about 2-3 minutes per side – just until nicely browned. (do not cook through!)

3Moving to the slow cooker, add in the diced onion, garlic cloves and mushrooms, then place the browned roast on top

4Pour the beef broth and tomato sauce over the roast

5Next sprinkle in all the dried seasonings (rosemary, thyme, oregano, granulated onion and red pepper flakes) plus about 2 Tbsp. of the fresh parsley (save the remaining parsley for the garnish)

6Cover slow cooker and set to HIGH and cook for 6 hours – OR – set to LOW and cook for 8-10 hours. When the meat pulls apart easily with a fork, it's ready

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (you’ll use half for cooking, and the other half as a garnish)

1 tsp. dried rosemary

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. granulated onion

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Sprinkle trimmed roast with the pepper and salt

2. In a large skillet on the stovetop, add olive oil and heat to medium-high. Place seasoned roast in the skillet and sear about 2-3 minutes per side – just until nicely browned. (do not cook through!)

3. Moving to the slow cooker, add in the diced onion, garlic cloves and mushrooms, then place the browned roast on top

4. Pour the beef broth and tomato sauce over the roast

5. Next sprinkle in all the dried seasonings (rosemary, thyme, oregano, granulated onion and red pepper flakes) plus about 2 Tbsp. of the fresh parsley (save the remaining parsley for the garnish)

6. Cover slow cooker and set to HIGH and cook for 6 hours – OR – set to LOW and cook for 8-10 hours. When the meat pulls apart easily with a fork, it’s ready